Clothes-pin machine.



PATBNTED MAY 14, 1907.

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,CLOTHES PIN MAGHINB.

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APPLICATION FILED JULYZB, 1906.

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No. 853,823. PATBNTED MAY 14. 1907.

' L. D. NEIFER.

' CLOTHES PIN MACHINE. APPLIUATIQN FILED JULY 25. 190e.

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N0.a53,823.1 PATENTBD MAY14,1907.

WZ? f L. D. NBIFER. CLOTHES PIN MAGHNB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY Z6, 1906.

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Euro1-nut LLOYD D. NEIFER, OF TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.-

CLOTHES-PIN MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1907.

Application filed July 25, 1906. Serial No. 327,736.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, LLOYD D. N EIEER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trave erse City, in the county of Grand Traverse and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Pin Machines, of which the following is a specification.

chines of the type embodying means for feedi ing the stock or blank forwardly step by step, a shaping tool or blade for forming the pin, a bifurcating tool for forming the longitudinal bifurcate 'in the pin,l and a guiding tool for severing the finished pin from the blank.

The invention has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple, inexpensive machine of this character which will be wholly automatic in its action, and one wherein the several parts will be brought into play in their proper successive order of operation in the feeding of the stock and formation of the pins.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 isa side elevation of a clothes pin machine embodying the invention, showing the several parts in their initial positions. Fig. 2 is a -top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the movable bearings for the feed roller shafts showing the system of levers for moving the bearings. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism for operating the main feed roller. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views of the cam wheel for actuating'the feed rollers and movable clutch head. Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are detail views of the cam vwheel for controlling the movements of the several cutting tools. Fig. 13 is a detail, sectional view on an enlarged scale centrally of the rotary mandrel which carries the stock or blank'. Fig. 14 is a detail view in elevation and on an enlarged scale of the movable clutch head which controls the rotation of the mandrel.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of the machine comprising an upper portion consisting of longitudinal side pieces or bars 2, end pieces or bars 3, and interme- 'members or bars 6and intermediate cross pieces 7, there being extended longitudinally of the frame and journaled in suitable bearings on the end pieces 6 a pair of shafts 8 and 9, of which the latter, herein termed the drive jl shaft, is equipped `with a belt pulley 10 and This invention relates to clothes pin mal with a pinion 11 in mesh with agear 12 fixed on the shaft 8, herein termed the cam shaft, the relative sizes of the pinion and gear being such that the drive shaft will make five-revolutions to one revolution of the cam shaft.

Journaled in suitable bearings 13 provided on the cross pieces 4 is a rotary mandrel 14 having a central longitudinal bore 15 of rectangular form in cross section adapted to receive the stock or blank 16, from which the pins are formed, there being rotatably ,and slidably disposed on the mandrel a clutch member or head 17 provided at its rear end with a peripheral groove 18 and at its forward end with teeth 19 designed for engagement with corresponding teeth 20 formed on the mandrel to fix the latter for rotation with the member 17, which is in turn driven through the medium of a belt 21 operated by a pulley 22 fixed on the drive shaft 9, while movably sustained at a point in advance of the mandrel 14 and for horizontal movement in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the blank 16 is a lathe carriage 23 carrying a shaping tool or blade 24 adapted to act upon the stock 16 for forming the pins.

Situated at a point in rear of and suitably remote from the mandrel is a pair of vertically disposed feed rollers 25 and 26 arranged respectively aboveand below the blank 16 for cooperative engagement therewith, the rollers being fixed on feed shafts 27 extended transversely of the frame and journaled at their ends in bearing blocks 28 adapted for a vertical outward movement against the action of springs 29 in rectangular bearing boxes 30 1n turn disposed for relative movement in elongated bearing openings 31 provided in the vertical end pieces 32 of bearing frames 33 xed at opposite points on the` frame bars 2.

Fixed at its lower end on a rock shaft 34 journaled in suitable bearings on the frame bars 5 and to swing in a vertical plane longiy tudinally of the frame 1 is a tool carriage or frame 35 in which is journaled a shaft 36 carrying a bifurcating tool or saw 37 arranged at a point in advance of the shaping blade 24 IIO and in axial alinement with the blank 16, there being fixed on the shaft 36 a belt pulley 38 driven by a belt 39 in turn operated by a belt pulley 40 fixed on the cam shaft 8, while pivoted at its lower end to one of the frame bars 5 to swing in a horizontal plane is a Aframe or carriage 41 carrying a rotary shaft 42 equipped with a cutting tool or saw 43 situated at one side of theline of movement of the blank 16 and in alineinent with the rear end of the blade 24, there being fixed on the shaft 42 a belt pulley 44 driven through the medium of a belt 45 in turn operated by a pulley 46 fixed on the drive shaft 9, it being noted in this connection that the saw blade 37 is movable in a direction longitudinal of the blank 16 while the blade 48 is movable in a plane transversely of the latter.

Fixed on the cam shaft 8 is a cam member or wheell 47 provided in its periphery with a cam way or groove 48 and having in one of its side faces an irregular cam way or groove 49 and in its other side face a cam way or groove 50 arranged concentric with the rim of the wheel and which at a suitable point 51 in its course approaches the center of the wheel on an inwardly curved path, while the groove 49 which throughout a portion of its length follows the peripheral line of the wheel is at the point 52 approached toward the center of the wheel, following, however, at said point a path concentric with the center of the wheel, the groove 48 being through out a part of its length disposed parallel with and adjacent to one side face of the wheel, thence across the latter, as at 53, and continued throughout the remainder of its length in a line parallel with and adjacent to the other side face of the wheel.

Fixed on the shaft 8 is a second cam wheel 54 provided with a peripheral cam way or groove 55 and having in one of its side faces a cam way or groove 56 which at a suitable point 57 in its course is approached toward the center of the wheel along an inwardly curved path, while formed in the other side face is a cam way or groove 58 approached at a point 59 in its course toward the center of the wheel on an inwardly curved path, the peripheral groove 55, which throughout the majority of its length is extended in a line parallel with and adjacent to one side face of the wheel being provided at a point 60 in its course with a laterally curved portion which sets inward toward the transverse center of the wheel.

Attached to the side bars 2 of the frame are vertically depending hangers 61 in which is journaled a rock shaft 62 on which is fixed a rocking lever 63 having its ends, which project at opposite sides of the shaft, connected respectively by means of links 64 with the bearing boxes 30, there being also fixed. on the shaft 6 2 a crank arm 65 to which the upper end of a traction element or link 66 is connected by means of a pin 67 arranged in a slot 68 provided in the crank arm, there being journaled on the lower end of link 66 a suitable bearing stud which is arranged for travel in the cam way 49, while. fixed on one side face of the lower feed wheel 26 is a, toothed ratchet 69 adapted for engagement by a pawl 7() pivotcd to one end of a lever 71 in turn pivoted between its ends on the adjacent shaft 27 and having its other end which normally projects forwardlyv and npwardly engaged by the upper end of a traetion element or link 72 connected with the lever 71 by means of a pin 73 arranged in a slot 74 and having its lower end provided with a suitable bearing stud arranged for travel in the cam way 50.

Sustained between its ends in a suitable bearing 75 is a shifting member or lever 76 provided at its opper end with a bearing stad 77 arranged for travel in the groove 18 and at its lower end with a similar stud disposed for travel in the cam way 48 for a porpose which will presently appear.

Pivoted to the swinging carriage 35 is a traction element or link 78 sustained between its ends by a bearing 79 and provided at its rear end with a saitable bearing stud arranged to travel in the cam groove 55 of the wheel 54, there being engaged with the vertically swinging lathe carriage 33 a vertically movable traction eleient or link 89 arranged between. its ends in a gcide 81 and provided at its lower end with a bearing stud 82 adapted for travel in the guide w: 58, whilel pivoted to the carriage frame 41 is a trat-,tion

link 83 srstained between its ends in a bearing 84 and having at its inner end a bearing stri d engaged for travel in the cam way 56.

In practice, motion is ilnparted to the drive shaft 9 :from any suitable source of power by means of a belt arranged on the pnlley 10 and is transmitted through the medium of pinion 11 and gear 12 to the ,ain shaft 8. During rotation of the cam shaft 8 when the bearing stud at the lower end of the traction link 66 passes into the portion 52 of cani groove 49 the lilik will be drawn dowmvard, thus swinging the arm in the direction indicated by the arrow for rocking shaft 62 to move the bearing boxes 30 toward each other and bring the feed rollers into engagement with the blank 16, whereupon the link 72 will be `moved downward owing to the bearing stnd thereon passing into the portion 51 of cani slot 5l), thus operating the lever 71 for act'eating the feed roller throegh the mcdinm of pawl 76 and rack 69 to feed the blank forward a distance eqn aling the length ofthe shaping blade 24, or, that is, equal to the length of one pin. After the blank has been fed forward the feed rollers will be returned to normal position and the shifting lever 76 actuated through the medium of the cam groove 48 and lmaring stud lOO IOS

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therein to move the clutch head 17 forwardly for engaging the teeth 19 with teeth 20 to rotate the mandrel 14, the link 80 being simultaneously operated for swinging the lathe arm 23 downwardly and bringing the knife 24 in to action for shaping the pin. As'soon as the pin has been turned into shape the clutch head 1.7 is retracted for checking the rotation of the mandrel and the blade 24 returned to normal position, immediately after which the bearing stud on thelink 78 will pass into the portion of caml slot 55, thus swinging the carriage 35 forwardly and bringing the bifurcating tool or saw 37 into action for forming the longitudinal slot in the pin blank. Simultaneously with the return of the carriage 35 to normal position the end of link 83 will pass into the portion 57 of cam groove 56, thus swinging the carriage 41 for bringing the cutting saw 43 into action to sever the finished pin from the blank, it being understood that these steps are successively repeated throughout the operation of the machine and that the relative dispositions of the various cam grooves are such that the various steps in the formation of the pins will follow in appropriate succession.

It will be observed that the machine is wholly automatic in its action and that the various arts of the mechanism move in proper time for performing the steps of Afeeding the blank step by step, shaping the lengths of the blank when fed forwardly, bifurcating the pins and finally severing the completed pins from the blank.

Having tlius'described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a clothes pin machine, a rotary blank holding mandrel, means for rotating the same` at determined recurrent intervals, a pair of coperating blank feeding wheels operable at determined intervals for advancing the blank through the mandrel, a shaping tool adapted to act on the blank during rotation of the mandrel for forming a clothes pin, a bifurcating tool adapted for slotting the shaped pins, a tool for severing the iinlshed pin from the blank, and cam controlled devices for bringing the parts automatically and successively into play.

2. In a clothes pin machine, a frame, a shaft journaled therein, a rotary blank holding mandrel having anon-circular bore adapted to receive a pin blank, means for advancing the blank at'determined recurrent inten vals throughout the mandrel,l a clutch member movable into engagement with the clutch mandrel, means including a cam member operated by the shaft for moving the clutch member tov engaging position immediately after each advance step of the blank, means for driving the clutch member to rotate the bringing the bifurcating and severing devices automatically and successively into play.

3. In a clothes pin machine, a frame, a shaft journaled therein, a rotary blank holding mandrel sustained in the frame, a pair of feeding rollers disposed respectively at opposite sides of the blank and sustained for movement toward and from each other, a system of levers for moving the rollers to grip and advance the blank at determined recurrent intervals, means including a cam member operated by the shaft for actuating the system of levers, means for rotating the mandrel after each advance step of the blank, a shaping tool adapted to act on the blank during its rotation for forming a clothes pin, a bifurcating tool for slotting the shaped pins longitudinally, a blade for severing the finished pins from the blank, and mechanism -operated from the shaft for bringing the bifurcating tooland blade automatically and successively into play.

4. In a clothes pin machine, a frame, a

drive shaft sustained therein, a cam shaft also sustained in the frame and geared for operation bythe drive shaft, cam wheels mounted on the second shaft, a rotary blank holding member having a central bore, a clutch member rotatably mounted on the mandrel and adapted for engagement with and to rotate the mandrel, means operated by the drive shaft for continuously rotating the clutch member, a pair of feeding rollers adapted for engagement with and. to advance the blank at determined, recurrent intervals through the mandrel, means operated by one of the cam members for movlng the rollers into engagement with the blank and actuating rollers to advance the blank, means actuated by said cam member for moving the clutch member into en agement with the mandrel immediately a ter each advanced step of the blank, a shaping tool adapted to act on the blank during its rotation to form a clothes pin, a bifurcatinr tool for slotting the shaped pins, a cutting btlade for severing the finished pins from the blank, and means actuated by the other cam wheel for bringing the shaping, bifurcating and pin severing tools automatically and successively into lay.

In testimony whereof, I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LLOYD D. NEIFER. Witnesses: v HOWARD H. SHORTER, IRA C. TALMAGE.

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